Traffic signal for motor vehicles



l 192 1,634,978 y 7. -N. M. BUTTS. SR

- TRAFFIC SIGNAL FOR MOTOR VEHICLES Filed Feb. 6, 1926 3 Sheets-Sheet 1 awe/144304;

, 1,634,978 July 1927' N. M. BUTTS. SR

TRAFFIC SIGNAL FOR MOTOR VEHICLES Filed Feb. 6, 1926 5 Sheets-Sheet 2 July 5, 1927.

N. M. BUTTS. sR

TRAFFIC SIGNAL FOR MOTOR VEHICLES Filed Feb. 6, 1926 s Sheets-Sheet 5 signali-ng position,

y direction Patented July 5, 1927.

UNITED PA.'I iE*NT 10,FF'lgCflii.

'NEWTO'NM. BUTTS; SHE, OF'CXENIA, OHIO.

TRAFFIC SIGNAL FOR MQ'ITOIE VEHIGLES.

Application filed February 1 The invention relates to signal devices for motor vehicles controlled by the operator of the vehicle andhas for its-object the} provision of a lamp casing. designed to-be used for: the rear lighted? thevehicle and provided-with means tor: illuminating thelice-nse The invention willbe described in detail hereinafter and will-be found illustrated inthe accompanying. drawings, in which Figure l is a sideview ot' motor :vehicle in broken lines eduipped with the improved tratlio signal shown in tullli-nes,-. r

1 Figure 2 a similar top plan View,

Figure 3 is a similarrearview, Figure 4- is a view in elevation ottheope'n ating mcchanism' for the turning signals,

. Figure 5 a side iew of. the signal casing, I Figure 6 is a rear view-ct the signal membersshowing the direction panel Stop in Figure 7 is a similar view showing thedirection panel Right? ilrsignaling position, q v a Figure 8 is a similar view showing the signal fLe'tt in signaling. position, i y

Figure 9 isa in' osition.

In the drawings similar reterence characters will be used to designate corresponding parts throughout the several views Figures 1, 2, and 3 as it may be mounted on a motor vehicle, the motor vehicle being, as

heretofore stated, shown in broken lines, and

indicated generally at A.

'The signaling deylce comprises a housing 1 t a is. a p e o. se 111 y tvertical-sectional View on a planeind catedby theh-ne 9 9 of Figure 6,, showing the signal panels in non-signahng The improved traliic signal (is shown in 6,- 1926; Serial No.-, 86 512;

able manner to-the rear portion of the vehicle A, such forlnstance as bymeanssof a bracket 52 mounted on the tire carrier- B at the rear- 015 the :vehicle or in any other selectedposition. Housing 1 is provided with two portions, a casing that will be designated the signal casing, and indicated at 3-,= .to which the bracket 2'is preterahlysecured,

and a casing 4 hingedly secured to the casing 3, and which will be hereinafter, referred to asthe lamp casing, and carries an illumt natin-g device which. may be an electric lamp 5; such as shown inthe drawings, andcon nected with a suitable source of electric cur-- rent to wires-v6, and theillumination of-the amp may he eontrol'ledby a switch (not: shown) of any suitable construction, and.- mounted' in'any convenient positionfor actue ation by the operator of the vehicle. .The two sidewalls otthe lamp casing 4 have light ditl'using panels, the panel 7 showing toward the lett of the vehicle-being preterably a coloredpanel such asaed or green and is designed to protect the vehicle from collisionwith vehicles movlnggthrou-gh cross streets and roads, while the other panel designated 8 ispreferablyof clear glass-and designed to illuminate a license tag mounted at the side olfthe lamp casing. 9 indicates alatch of any suitable-structure to hold the lamp casingi in positionbehind the signal casing 3, so that the light rays from the lamp 5 are directed through a light; ditfusi-ngpanel l0 suitably mou-n-tedin the adjacent-g0 portion of the signal casing 3, and Salfl panellO ispreferably colored red and fu11ctrons as: the rear lamp forthemotor Vehicle. BYtltlS construction of the l'lo-using 1 intw'o casings 3 and lxrespectively, hingedlyse,-,95

cured together, and providing means tor separation of the lamp casing fro the rear light panel! 10,- so that'the lamp casing t is open when moved from engagement with the signal casingtii, itwill be readily apparent, .100

that provisionismade for replacement of 1lluni-nnatrng means any the lamp cas ng, and

also convenient. means providcd i'orr-eplace ment of the panel-l0 should it become necessary v v r o i he rear end oi signalcasmg 3' open, or may be prov ded with a clear glass panel (not shown) if preierred, and the side walls and top and bottom walls of said signal casmg having inwardly bent fianges forming a U0 frame for the rear end, said flanges being indicated at 11, and a cross strip 12 div des the opening into two parallel [12111105 in which the direction signals to be hereinailter described are designed to be displayed. By this construction it will be apparent that the light rays directed through the panel ll) will be visible to the rear end oil the signal casing at at all times, and as hereto lore stated said light panel provides a rea r lamp for the motor vehicle.

The direction signals are uounted on shafts l3, lat, and 15 located behind the up per tlange ll, the cross strip l2, and the lower llange ll, respectively, and said direction signals comprise panels ll ii" and a carried liy said shells ll; and if), respectively, said panels being preferably made of sheet metal and having the direction indicating legends cut out off said panels, the panel as carrying the legend hell, the panel l? the legend ill-Ugh and panel 18 the legend Stop. 'lhe sh: its iii, A and 15 are held normally in position to hold the panels secured thereto in llUllZO-lii'lll or non- Visible position, by means of springs 19 secured to said shafts. lhe signal shafts are adapted to be actuated to more the panels into position visible i'rom the rear ol the vehicle by means of flexible elements 20, ill and connected to said shaft; in any suitable manner, the means provided being grooved pulleys fixedly secured to the sha'lts but it will be apparent that a crank arm or other structure may be substituted therefor.

Carried by the steering post 0, by means of brackets 2-1, is a shaftthat has its iower end extended below the lloor of the body or the vehicle, and has secured thereto a cross arm 26 having llenibie elements :20 secured to one of its extremities, while the llcnible element 21 is secured to its other entrcmity, said flexible elements being carried by any suitable means such for instance as tubes or pulleys intermediate oi said cross arm and the shafts 13 and i i. The upper end of the shaft 25 has an operating arm secured thereto and designed :lor operation by the driver of the vehicle, a notched segment 28 being provided to cooperate "with said oper ating arm 2? to hold said arm temporarily in signaling position.

Flexible element is conncclcd with the brake pedal l) of the vehicle so that when the brakes are applied the shaft 15 will be turned to raise panel lb into visible position to indicate to vehicles in the rear oi the nu. tor vehicle A that the vehicle is to slow down or stop. 'lf'o cushion the action oil the stop signal and prevent interior-clue with the functions oil? the bralre pedal, acoil esa-nee spring 29 is introduced into the flexible element 2:2.

in operation it will be apparent that when the operating arm 27 is moved toward the right, flexible element. Bl will. be pulled to rotate shalt let and panel 17 will be elevated into a visible position as shown in Figure T, while a. movement or the operating arm 27 toward the lei't will rotate shalt l3 so that panel ill will be lowered into the position shown in liigure 8, and when the operating arm is returned to neutral position .l'rom either of its extreme positions, the spring 19 on the corresponding sha'lt will return the panel to its n0n-visible position.

actuated by movement of the brake pedal D to apply the brakes, and the shaft 1:) will be rotated to move panel l8 into a visible position, as shown in Figure 6, and the panel will be returned to its non-visible position by means of spring ll) on the shaft 15 when brake pedal D is released.

il hat is claimed is 1. it. traliic signal for vehicles comprising a lamp casing, a light diffusing panel in said casing, a signal casing surrounding said panel each of said panels having cut out direction indications therein, and extending outwardly o1 said lamp casing, shafts journalcd in the side walls of the signal casing, each said shafts carrying adirection indicating panel, means to normally hold said direction indicating panels in inoperative positions substantially perpendicular to the light ditl'using panel, a pulley secured to each ol said shafts, a flexible member secured to each pulley, and means engaging said flexible members to actuate the shafts and move the direction indicating panels into positions substantially parallel to the light dill'iising panel.

Jr trallic signal for vehicles, comprising a lamp casing, a signal casing hingedly em gaging the lamp casing, a light dillusing panel carried by said signal casing, shafts journaled in said signal casing, each of said shal'ts carrying a direction indicating panel, each of said panels having cut out direction indicatiol is therein, spring means ci'igaging said shorts to normally hold the panels in inoperative positions substantially perpendicular to the light diil'using panel, and lieniblo means operatively connected to the shafts to actuate the panels into positions srbstantially parallel with the light dill'ua ing panel.

in testimony whereof l allix my signature.

otop" signal is, as heretofore stated,

till 

